EVERTON academy striker Anton Forrester has joined Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer.

EVERTON academy striker Anton Forrester has joined Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer.

The 18-year-old, whose contract was due to expire at the end of the season, moved to Ewood Park following a successful trial period with the Lancashire club.

Forrester joined Everton at the age of nine and progressed through the club’s Academy ranks, featuring regularly for the Under-16s and Under-18s sides.

Most recently, the Liverpool-born forward had been on the fringes of Alan Stubbs’ development squad, making seven appearances for the Under-21s this season.

As part of the agreement with Blackburn Rovers, Everton will receive a percentage of any future sell-on fee for Forrester.

JOHN Lundstram has been named in the England Under-19 squad for next month’s friendly against Denmark. The Blues youngster is the current captain of the Three Lions and is likely to line up in midfield for the game on Thursday, February 5 at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium.

With an eye on May’s elite qualifying round for this summer’s European Championship finals in Lithuania, Noel Blake has selected an 18-man group for the game against the Danes – and the head coach admitted another Everton starlet, striker Hallam Hope, was unfortunate to miss the cut.